Yohji Yamamoto

FUNCTIONALLY FLUIDParis: Utility was a key word for Yohji Yamamoto this season and as such his collection featured less trickery than usual, instead focusing on a sense of fluid functionality. The designer’s signature cutaway coats had a military feel, as did olive canvas field jackets in a subtle hourglass shape and voluminous twill dresses with unfinished hems. Softer chiffon and washed silk pieces were draped haphazardly around the body like crumpled parachutes embellished with hanging strings. Comfort was key throughout and many ensembles, such as tunics layered over cropped trousers and paired with low profile canvas sneakers, had a martial arts practicality. As basic as the collection seemed, Yamamoto’s fabrics were loaded with details, from a shredded floral silk to a dimensional mesh straight out of a paratrooper’s emergency survival kit.—Nina Stotler